Seamless grave vault and method of forming it



Dc. 21,1937., J, H HJANDLIEY 2,103,095

SEI-XMLESS GRAVE 'VAULT AND METHOD OF FORMIN'G IT Filed MaICh .18, 1957 3 /5 JH Han Zeg Cil Patented Dee. 21, 1937 PATENT omer:

SEAMLESS GRAVE VAULT AND METHOD OF FORMING IT John H. Handley, Des Moines, Iowa l Application March 18, 1937, Serial No. 131,737

3 claims. (C1. V7.2.-7)

Thisr invention relates to grave vaults and particularly to grave vaults formed ofconcrete or equivalent artificial stone.

The general object of my invention is to provide a grave vaultV of concrete or equivalent material `which is absolutely seamless kand without joint. A vault that has any seam at all or any joint, though the joint may be caulked or otherwise filled or sealed,'is open to disintegration because the elements eventually gain access to the interior of the vault through the seam or joint. The moment that air and Water gain access tothe interior of the vault, the vaultv is doomed to destruction.

Another object is to provide a seamless ccncrete vault which is reinforced by upper and lower reinforcing elements which have members extending longitudinally and transversely of the top, bottom, side and end walls of the vault and in which the top element is adapted to fit-over and rest upon the bottom element, and in which the two elements have overlapping portions, these two elements being adapted to be disposed to entirely enclose the casket vor the rough box within which the casket is placed, and to be entirely embedded in concrete when the material of the seamless vault is poured or tamped.

A further object is to provide a very simple method whereby this seamless vault may be formed.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a Vertical section through a grave vault constructed in accordance with my invention, the grave vault being in place within a grave. 1

FigureZ is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Y

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the lower section of the reinforcement.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of both reinforcing sections.

The construction of the vault will be best understood by describing the manner in which the vault is formed. As soon as the usual grave is dug, six supporting blocks designated Ill are disposed on the bottom of the grave. These blocks may be stone, marble, cement or other like material, and preferably have a dimension of 4 x 6 x 2 in. One of these blocks is placed at each corner of the grave and a block on each side at the middle. Upon these blocks, the lower reinforcing element designated generally Il is disposed. This consists of longitudinally extending reinforcing members I2 and transversely extending members I3, which are preferably of steel but may be made of any other suitable material, these members beinginterconnected with each other in any suitable manner as by welding, brazing or the like. It is to be particularly noted that the transverse and longitudinal members I3 are upwardly extended at their ends and that the outermost reinforcing member i4 extends in the form of a rectangular frame. Upon the reinforcing element I i there are disposed two or more V-shaped cross-bars I5 having their apices extending upward, these being disposed one at each end of the reinforcing element II but between the supporting blocks i0.

A preformed rough box designated generally I6 is provided which has been treated on the outside to fill all cracks, possible holes and pores of the wood with a water-proong material such as asphalt, pitch, tar, paint, oil-cloth, cellophane or any other suitable material of this character. This box is, of course, provided with a removable cover Il. The box I 6 is lowered into the grave and rests upon the V-shaped supports l5. The grave is then in condition for an interment. As soon as the casket is lowered into the rough box I6, the lid I 'l is then putin place and secured and sealed. The whole rough box with the contained coffin is then raised by suitable equipment and green water-proof cement or concrete is mixed and poured into or disposed in the bottom of the grave covering the six supports I and embedding the bottom steel reinforcing element Il within this concrete. This concrete base, which is designated I8, has a thickness of about 4 in.

The rough box I is then lowered into place with the casket therein, this outer box I6 acting as a form. The box rests upon the V-shaped members I5. When this has been done, a cagelike upper steel reinforcing element designated generally i9 is then lowered over the rough box onto the base i8 and inside of the outer upturned ends of the longitudinal and transverse reinforcing members. The upper reinforcing element designated generally I9 has a top portion, opposed ,side portions and opposed end portions, and is of sufficient cross-sectional area as 'to f'lt down over the box it and be spaced therefrom a suitable distance. The element I9 comprises upper and lower rectangular frame members of steel, wire, rod or other suitable materialand designated 2t. Transverse and longitudinal wires or rods 2l areengaged with the lower frameand extend upward and over the upper frame 2li and are attached to each other and to these frame members 2S in any suitable manner as by brazing, soldering or the like. An open-bottomed cage is thus formed which constitutes the upper reinforcing element for the side walls and top of the concrete grave vault. n

After th-e upper reinforcing element has been lowered into position with the lower portions of its side and end walls within the upturned ends of the elements I2 and I3, yokes 22 are disposed over the ends oi the upper reinforcing element of the cage, these yokes at their lowerends having inwardly turned hooks 23 which engage beneath the element Il. The lower ends of these yokes are forced into the still plastic mass which forms the base I8.

Cement or concrete mixture having a formula preferably of l, 1 and 2, mixed with water-proofing material is then poured into .the opening of the grave and completely covers the encaged rough box I 'l to a depth which completely embeds the upper reinforcing element I9 within the concrete. The walls of the dug grave, lof course, form the outer form for the concrete while the box l with its lid l1 constitutes the inner form. This permits the complete enclosure of green concrete or cement `to be formed in a few minutes time. This concrete will ripen and'dry evenly as aunit without any seam anywhere. `Anv appropriate name plate 24 has posts lwhich are inserted within the concrete 25 which has been poured around the sides and over the top of the box il and preferably four bars of bronze or brass or other suitable,4 material designated 26, are. alsoY embedded-in theV concrete 25 over the top of the box, these four bars being'disposed adjacent the corners of the concrete vault thus formed. These bars 26 are provided with eyes 21 whereby, if'disinterment is desired, the vaultmay be lifted out of the ground.

After a suilicient timethat is, vafter the` concrete has sufficiently hardened and ripened, a board top 28 isplaced over the top ofthe concrete 25 and then the grave is filled with dirt.

' It is to be understood that I may use any artiiicial stone which may be suitable for the purpose and that by the term concrete as used in the appended claims, I intend to include any form of suitable artificial stone which is initially plastic and may be poured vor tamped around the rough box I6 and its cover. The reinforcing members which form they upper and lower reinforcing elements may-be made of either bars, wire mesh, fencing material or any other appropriate reinforcing members, whether these are welded,soldered, wired or otherwise connected with each other. Y

It will be seen that byl my structure and by rmy method of forming a grave vault, I provide a vault Vthat has no seams and which, under no circumstances, will permit air or water to gain access to the interior of the vault. It will be seen that my concrete vault has but few preformed parts. The reinforcing elements may be made very cheaply and when completely embedded in the plastic material entirely reinforces the whole area of the vault and prevents any possible chance of cracking, distortion or collapse. Furthermore, pressure of the earth against this mass of heavy concrete, reinforced as it is, will not act to distort or collapse the vault nor will the. vault be deformed, collapsed or cracked by Aof the fact that thefvault is seamless. .there is Vno possibility of the escape of gases or other matter, or the entry of water, therefore, there'wll be no possible pollution of surrounding water, air or earth. The possibility of theft is reduced to a minimum as this type of vault cannot be broken into by grave robbers, without a tremendous amount of work and Without the use of explosives. There is no possibility of removing a cover or dome-as there is in two-part vaultsY and the removal of the casket by grave robbers.

. It is obvious that the principle of my invention might be applied to different forms of vaults, and Ido not, wish Ato be limited to the specific form except as stated in the appended claims.

What is claimed ist- 1. A grave vault having-integral top, bottom, endl and side Walls, a. base: reinforcing element disposed within vthe bottom wall and including longitudinal and-:transversely extending reinforcing members, an upper reinforcing element extending throughout and embeddedV within the top, end and sidewalls and comprising longitudinal and transversely extending reinforming members, the base reinforcing element having upwardly turned end portions,y the upper reinforcing ele- -ment having side and end portions disposed element and the lower portion of the box sup.

porting elements are entirely embedded, lowering a casket box ontoV the box supporting elements while the base is still in a plastic condition, disposing an open-bottomed reinforcing element over the box and resting upon the previously formed base, the reinforcing element having open-work top, side and Yend portions, pouring concrete overthe box and between the sides and end walls of the box and the dug grave until the upper reinforcing element is entirely embedded within the concrete, allowing the concrete vto harden, and filling in the grave.

3. A method of forming grave vaults within a dug graveY consisting in disposinga base reinforcing element of transverse and longitudinal members in the bottom ofthe grave Vbut spaced from the bottom, Vdisposing transverse box supporting members upon the reinforcing element, filling concrete in the grave until the reinforcing element and the lower portion of the boxY supporting elements are entirely embedded, lowering a casket box onto the box supporting elements while the baseis still ina plastic condition, disposing an open-bottomed reinforcing element over the box and resting upon the previously formed base, the reinforcing element having open-work top, side and end portions, pouring concrete over the box and between the sides and end walls of the box and the duggrave until the upper reinforcing' element is entirely embedded `within ,theconcrete,:inserting ring bolts within .the still plastic concrete at the corners of the vault sor formed;v and filling in the grave.

JOHN H. .HANDLEYL 

